Lighter



Aug. 30, 1932.

. J.- BUTLER ET `AL LI GHTER Filed May 10 Patented Aug. 30, 1 932 UNITED STATES ParrlazNTV OFFICE y WILLIAM J. BUTLER, or DDGEwooD, AND JOHN J. rLxNN, or :eaovmnncn vnaomi ISLAND, assumons 'ro ammi LEDERER e Bao., me., or raovIDENcn, RHODE IsLAND, A CORPORATION or RHODE ISLAND y LGHTER Application led Hay 10,

tion wheel which upon the application of additional pressure will yield and cause'a suddenrelease of thisresistance to provide illustrating the snuil'er as partiall a snap or, increased speed of the friction wheel to positively throw the sparks into engage-v ment with the wick. 4

A further object of the invention is to provide a yielding means to interrupt the stroke to operate upon the manually operable plunger to operate the friction wheel.

A still further object of thev invention is to provide this interrupting mechanism sol that the same will be .concealed from view and not detract from the'appearance of the lighter when finished. Y

This invention further consists in the pro- .v'ision of a pawl which will have suiiicient inherent resiliency to eliminate the need'of a separate spring on-the-pawl and Aprovide a means of attachment of the vpawl to the snuier arm.

With these and other'objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as will be more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims. p

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view thru the lighter, illustrating the improved means of accomplishing the interruptedV stroke.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly in section raised and the liange in position to engage t e yielding means for interrupting its stroke.

Fig. 3 is a fragmental section of a'modified construction for interrupting the stroke of the plunger.

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 with the resilient spring omitted.

Fig. 6 is a detailed view of the pawl for operating-the ratchet wheel.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the resilient means' placed in the path of the plunger.

It has been found in the operation-of lightersthat wherepressure is applied agamst 1929. semi No. 361,916.

ient element which after receivlng a certain f increased amount of Ipressure will be moved or collapsed to permit relatively free movement ofthe plunger, and we have also found that a resilient pawl may be secured to the snu'er cap to engage the ratchet wheel without the necessity of providing a pivot for the pawl and an additional orseparate sprin for moving the same into en agement witg the ratchet wheel and the fol owin is a detailed description of the present em odiment of the improvments illustrating the preferred means by which these advantageous results may be accomplished:

With reference to the drawing,`10 designates the casing of fuel reservoir with bearing standards 11 extending upwardly therefrom. -A wick 12 extends from the casing thru a suitable support l13 anda pyrophoric guide tube 14 extends thru the casing with a spring 15 forcing the pyrophoric material 16 into engagement with the friction wheel 17 rotated about shaft 18 by means of aA ratchet wheel 19 and pawl 2O formed of resilient material with a base 21 secured by means of a rivet 22 to the snufer 23 which has a cap portion 24 to cover the wick.

Snufer ears 25 are pivotally mounted to swing about the pin 18 in an suitable man ner,l and each ear is provide with a slot 26 through which itis connected to a ngerpiece 28 whereby it'is moved upon depression ofthe fingerpiece 28 and downward movement of the plunger 29. This plunger 29 is of hollow construction and secured to the fingerpiece 28in any suitable manner such as riveting 30. 4The plunger is often made of nickel silver and a bushing of a harder material such j as steel 31 is fitted into its inner or lower end to greater resist the wear on the plunger and isshouldered asv at 32 to limit its movement into thehollow plunger.

It is of course understood that, if the plunger is itself made of suciently hardmaterial to withstand the wear to which it is subjected in operation upon the yielding 1na* terrupting resistance that it will beunneces- "sary to' provide the steel bushing 31. 0

The plunger is guided in the tube 33 havin a bottom 34 upon which rests the base`35. o the tubular member 36 having a yielding means 37 in the form of a bifurcated spring normal position under no strain or force they will be of a size larger than the internal b ore 39 of the 'end of the plunger or its bushmg 31 so that as the plunger is depressed by means of the ngerpiece 28 it will engage these enlarged ends 38 and be interrupted in its movement but upon the application of additional pressure these ends 38 being round a0 will be forced together to permit the cylinderl 31 to slide thereover and the increased pressure will cause the friction wheel to be given a snap or increased limpetus to positively throw-the ignited particles or sparks against z5 the wick, the portion of the fingers 40 below the head 38 are of much narrower construction so as to eliminate friction after the end of the plunger lilas passed beyond the head portions 38 of these lingers. A helical spring $0 41 is provided inthe guide surrounding this interrupting member to resist the movement of the plunger and return it to starting position. Y

The foregoing description is directed sole- 38 .ly towards fthe construction illustrated, vbut we desire it to be understood that we reserve the privilege of resorting to all the mechanical changes to which the device is susceptible, the invention being defined and limited only by the terms of the appended claims. We claim: 1. In a lighter, a casing, a wick extending "therefrom, pyrophoric material positioned adjacent said wick, a friction wheel rotatably' mounted in engaging relation with said pyrophono material, a plunger, means effecting rotation ofsaid friction wheel on movement pf sald plunger, a spring yieldingly resisting movement of said plunger, and means interposmg an additional resistancein the path of movement of said plunger.

2. In a lighter, a casing, a wick extending therefrom, pyrophoric material positioned adlacent said wick, a friction wheel rotatably mounted in engaging relation with said pyrophonc material, a plunger, a plunger caslng, means effecting rotation ofsaid frictlon wheel on movement `of said plunger, a spring 1n said casing yieldingly resisting movement o f said plunger, and an additional spring 1n said'casing increasing the yielding reslstance durlng a portion'of the movement of said plunger.

3. In a lighter, a casing, a wick extending therefrom, pyrophoric material ,positioned with enlarged end portions 38 so that in their A able transversely to the direction 'aerieea adjacent saidwick, a friction wheel rotatably of said plunger.'

4. In a lighter,a casing, a wick extending therefrom, pyrophoric material positione adjacent saidl wick, a friction wheel rotatably mounted in engaging relation with said pyrophoric material, a hollow plunger, a plunger casing, means effecting rotation of said friction wheel on movement of said` plunger, a spring in said casing engaging the plunger base for yieldingly resisting movement of said plunger, and' a plurality of spring fingers in said casing initially engaging the plunger. base and displaceable into the bore of said plunger for increasing the yielding resistance during a portion of the movement of said plunger.

5. In aelighter, a casing, a wick extending therefrom, pyrophoric material positione adjacent said bly mounted in engaging relation with said -pyrophoric material, a plunger, a plunger casing, means veffecting rotation of said friction wheel on movement of said plunger, a spring in said casing yieldingly resisting vmovement of said plunger, spring mounted in said casing in the path of movement of said plunger and displaceof movement of vsaid plunger, for increasing the yielding resistance during a portion of the movement of said plunger.

6. In a lighter,'a. casing, a wick extending therefrom, pyrophoric material positioned adjacent said wick, a friction wheel rotatably mounted in engaging relation with said pyrophoric material, va plunger, a 'plunger casing, means eil'ecting rotation of said friction wheel on movement of said plunger, a spring wick,ja friction wheel rotataand an additional .y

in said casing yieldingly resisting movement of said plunger, and an additional spring mounted in slots in the wall of said casing and extending in the path of movement of said plunger and displaceable transverselyl to the direction of movement of said plunger,

for increasing the yielding resistance during a portion of the movement of said plunger.

In testimony whereof we aiix our signa- 

